


In Vino Veritas

by lindsey_grissom



Category: Holby City
Genre: 5 Times, F/F, kissing and flirting and so much wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 15:33:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8019451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindsey_grissom/pseuds/lindsey_grissom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5 times Serena Campbell lost a glass of Shiraz to Bernie Wolfe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Vino Veritas

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this set for weeks, so it rather overlooks recent developments. ;)
> 
> Big thanks to phantomunmasked for beta-ing and cheerleading. Without her Bernie would still be backed into a corner and this would still be sitting on my notepad...
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**1.**

One minute Serena's holding a full glass of Shiraz, laughing with Fletch and watching Morven get redder and redder and the next it's being prised from her fingers with a quick "sorry about this" and stolen away by a familiar blonde ex-army medic.

Flexing her suddenly empty hand, Serena turns after Bernie just in time to see her well-earned drink splash across the front of someone's shirt, deep red turning the white polyester pink.

"No means no."  Bernie steps away from the spluttering man, ignoring the sudden quiet and leans across the bar.  "Another large glass of Shiraz please."

Conversations start to pick up again and Serena turns to Fletcher; unsurprised to see his mouth still hanging open. "Did she just...?"  Fletch nods and shuffles over a chair to make room for Bernie as another glass of wine appears on the table between them.

"There you go."  Bernie settles into her seat, tumbler of whisky in hand and nudges the wine glass closer to Serena.  "Long day."

Lifting the glass to her lips, Serena narrows her eyes, staring at the side of Bernie's face until the other woman meets her gaze.  "You get one strike, Ms Wolfe.  Next time, use some of that macho army-girl training and wop him one instead of wasting a perfectly good Shiraz, especially my Shiraz."

Fletch bursts into coughing laughter and Bernie smirks at her, teeth clicking against the lip of her glass.  "Noted, Ms Campbell. Won't happen again."

 

* * *

 

 

**2.**

"What on Earth are you doing?"

Bernie spins around with a yelp, catching her hip against the open cupboard door and slamming it back against the others with a loud crack.  Serena flinches and Bernie hops quickly out of the way as Serena comes over to inspect the damage to her wooden fronts, breathing a sigh of relief when she sees the still pristine white paint over Serena's shoulder.  Serena turns back to her with a raised eyebrow and Bernie pulls her hand away from rubbing at her hip to wave towards the cupboard.  "Where do you keep your wine?"

"Not in with the beans and soups."  Serena answers smartly, pushing the cupboard closed and stepping over to a thin floor-to-ceiling panel by the fridge.  Pushing a hand against it, the panel pops out and she tugs at the edge, pulling out a two-column wine rack. "Voilà!" she says with a taunting bow.   "Red, white and rosé." She sweeps her hand down and Bernie isn't too surprised to see there are more slots for red than the others.  "There's some white open in the fridge, I think," she adds as she steps back to lean against the sink.

Taking Serena's place, Bernie reaches for a bottle of red at the top, green foil sparkling in the light.

"Thirsty are we?"

Turning back with the bottle in hand, Bernie waves it lazily.  "I didn't get to the off-licence this afternoon."

Serena crosses her arms and for the first time, Bernie notices that her friend hasn't stuck to her usual combination of loose shirt and trousers tonight; her crossed arms forcing the neck of the wrap dress to fall further apart, framing her chest.  "So you thought you'd raid my stash because...?"

Blinking and forcing her eyes up higher, Bernie shrugs.  "I couldn't turn up empty handed, could I? It's a housewarming."

Serena scoffs and Bernie keeps her head and eyes level.  "You're stealing my wine to give to Fletch? What about me?"

"You got him that coffee/hot chocolate machine thingy; you've been talking about it for weeks.  Besides, it's not as though this is the only bottle you have." Bernie nods towards the mostly full wine rack.  "You could stock Albie's with that lot."

"Oh shut up."  Serena pushes away from the sink and stalks towards her, heels clipping on the laminate and Bernie is a little disconcerted by just how tall Serena is in them as she stops a breath apart and leans over to push the wine rack back into place; she's so used to their height difference when she gets this close that being nose-to-nose throws her off.  "You're paying me back for that, you know. You couldn't have picked out one of the cheap ones?"

Following Serena out of the kitchen, Bernie lets her eyes wander for just a moment before tearing them away and grabbing her coat from the banister just as Jason walks out from the Lounge, his own coat and scarf already on. "As though you won't benefit; you'll have this one open as soon as we get there."

Holding out Serena's coat for her to slip into it, Bernie nods to Jason as he smiles a greeting at her and looks to his watch.  "Auntie Serena, you said we would be leaving at seven-thirty, it is now seven-forty.  We're late."

"I know, I know.  We're going now, we'll be fine.  You can blame Ms Wolfe - she decided to steal my wine this evening."

"Why would you do that?"  Serena smirks at her as she shoos them all out of the hallway and locks the front door.  "Stealing is wrong and Auntie Serena is your friend."

"I forgot to get a housewarming present and I didn't think your Aunt would mind me borrowing one of her numerous bottles of wine."  Glaring at Serena as the brunette unlocks her car, she settles into the passenger seat.

"You should write lists.  I always write lists and then I never forget anything. I can help you if you like?  The best lists are the ones on my phone because then I can check off the boxes when they’re done.  But sometimes I like to cross through them and then it's better if they're on paper."

Serena chuckles silently beside her, shoulders rising and falling as she bites her lip and Bernie glares at the side of her head while Jason discusses the best paper to write on and Serena pulls out onto the street.

"Jason, perhaps you could show Ms Wolfe some of the lists on your phone, we've got a half hour drive ahead of us after all?"

Bernie gulps as Jason agrees and she turns slightly in her seat to face Serena, not at all surprised by the smug smirk on her face. She should have just turned up empty handed, she could have claimed half of Serena's gift anyway, no one would have been any the wiser.

"Look at this one..."

 

* * *

 

 

**3.**

"God I need a drink."

Serena turns quickly as Bernie settles on the arm of her chair, her conversation with Raf broken along with her attention.  The blonde's hand reaches out and Serena smacks at it before it makes it to her glass.

"Hands off, Major."

Puppy-dog eyes level at her and Serena fights a smile, keeping her lips straight through long practice.  "Didn't you ever learn to share, Ms Campbell?"

"Everything but Shiraz, Ms Wolfe; one has to have limits."

"Is that the Serena Campbell motto?" Bernie leans forward as they talk, her forearm sliding against Serena's shoulder, until she's close enough to be heard over the music and conversation around them. "Because I have one of those." Her breath flutters across Serena's ear, making her shiver despite the warm bar and Bernie's heat along her side.

Quicker than Serena can follow, Bernie leans completely across her, swiping up the glass of wine and gulping down the contents, sitting back with a smirk and dangling the empty glass by its stem.  "Take what you can, give nothing back."  She says smugly, tongue sneaking out to lap up the droplets on her lips.

Growling, Serena snatches the glass away from her, rising to get another and jabbing a finger at Bernie's chest.  "Should've known you'd adhere to the pirate's code."  Walking around behind her chair she leans down until her chin brushes Bernie's shoulder.  "You should be careful who you plunder, Ms Wolfe; there be monsters in these waters."

 

* * *

 

 

**4.**

"I am so sorry, Serena."

"It's fine.  Just a little spilled wine. Nothing to cry about."

"But your shirt! Look, take it off before it seeps through."

"Bernie-"

"Off!"

"You do remember you're not in the army now, don't you Major?"

Bernie huffs, the limits of her guilt and patience creeping closer. "Ever so sorry Ms Campbell. Would you please, if it's not too much trouble, take off your wine soaked shirt before it leaks through to your vest top and I have to wash both of them. Better?"

Serena frowns, moving to cross her arms before rethinking.  "Marginally." Her fingers get to work on the buttons and Bernie wonders what she would have done if they'd all been open like normal and then shakes herself, because Serena in a loose wet shirt is difficult enough to cope with, but a Serena soaked through is just too much if she intends to get out of this bathroom with some shred of dignity left.

"Why are you washing my shirts all of a sudden?"

"Huh?" Broken from that train of thought, Bernie shrugs. "Seems like the least I can do. It's not dry clean only is it?"

"Don't be daft. When would I have time for that?" Serena peels the shirt off and for a moment Bernie is lost in the sight of those freckled shoulders; how is it that she's never seen them before? "Here, my shirt. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic." The ball of damp fabric hits her in the chest and despite herself, Bernie's eyes drift down. "You look cold."

"Of course I am! It's ten degrees in here, I can practically see my breath."

"Right, right." It takes effort for Bernie to stop nodding like one of those toy dogs in a car window. "We should probably try to find you something else to wear."

Serena raises an eyebrow and finally crosses her arms. Without her over shirt,  there's a lot more for Bernie to see. "Are you going to make me a cardigan out of toilet paper Ms Wolfe? I didn't know you were quite so crafty."

"Uh..."

"Oh for...just give me your jacket." Bernie hesitates and Serena holds out a hand, fingers curling and uncurling.  "Come on. You've got a decently thick jumper on."

Dropping Serena's shirt into a sink, Bernie shrugs out of her jacket. "Cam bought me this last year." She says, holding it out.

Serena takes it with a smile; "I promise to not let anything happen to it." She slips it on. "If you promise not to throw anymore drinks at me."

"I didn't throw this one. I knocked it over."

"Mmhm unusually clumsy of you. Right, how do I look? Will I do?"

Serena holds her arms out, the jacket fitting a little more snugly on her, wrapping itself around her curves. Bernie gulps. It's a worn out cliché,  but there really is something to be said about a gorgeous woman wearing your clothes and Bernie has never felt that more viscerally than she does then.

"Good. It's uh, it looks good."

Serena frowns, stepping forward. "Are you alright, you look a bit flushed?"

Bernie backs up a step instinctively, flinching as her back taps the dryer behind her.

"Bernie?" Serena's within touching distance again and Bernie can't take her eyes off her.

"Serena." Her gaze flickers between Serena's eyes and the soft-looking skin across her collarbone, before drifting to her lips. She tears them away, but not quick enough to miss the little quirk as Serena smiles.

"The last time someone looked at me like you are, Bernie..."

"Serena, please." She's too close and she smells like Shiraz and Serena - that delicate mix of soap and shampoo and day-worn perfume.

Serena's fingers curl around Bernie's waist, making her jump. "Kiss me." She says, fingers squeezing Bernie's hip. "Before I do something stupid."

Bernie gulps, her pulse pounding. "More stupid than this?"

Serena nods, her own eyes dropping to Bernie's lips and that's...Bernie has a lot of control, she can holdback and stand firm with the best of them, but with Serena, as easy as most things are, sometimes it's just too hard to resist giving in.

She leans forward, dipping her head, hesitating. "Are you sure?" Because she needs her to be.

Serena's breath huffs out across her cheek and then their lips are together, the hand at Bernie's waist clenching.

Bernie brings her own hands up, one to splay flat against Serena's back, the other at her neck, the tips of her fingers brushing into her hair.

Her heart still pounds and her nose is pressed, scrunched up against Serena's cheek. Serena's teeth scratch against her bottom lip and she moans.

Serena hums, hands scrabbling along Bernie's jumper, until one reaches behind her and...

They jump apart at the loud roar of the dryer, hot air pounding on Bernie's back before she can take a step away.

Seconds pass as Bernie tries to catch her breath, slow her heart rate back down. Serena stands a foot away, one hand up at her chest, the other dangling loosely at her side.

The door to the bathroom is still closed and it's a miracle no one walked in on them. Swallowing, Bernie tucks her hair behind her ears.

"Well then." Serena's voice, rougher than usual makes her jump and she meets the other woman's eyes. "I think we'll have to do that again, don't you?"

Bernie can't help the grin that spreads across her lips. "Definitely." Serena's own smile lifts her cheeks and Bernie wants to taste her again. She shakes herself, remembering where they are. "Perhaps we should..."

She twists her wrist vaguely and Serena scoffs, nodding. "Yes. Quite. Not really the best place for this, is it?" She turns to the sink, gathering up her wet shirt and Bernie finally moves, stepping up behind her to pull the top from her hands.

"I'll take that, remember."

Serena raises an eyebrow at her in the mirror but lets the shirt go. "Yes, sir."

Bernie grins, feeling giddy. "Too right, soldier. Now step to." She tips her head to the door and let's her free hand brush the small of Serena's back as they head towards it.

"You still owe me a glass of Shiraz,  Ms Wolfe." Serena says as they step back out into the noise and chaos of Albie's.

"Later." Bernie agrees and steers them towards their table where Fletch and Raf sit with their bags. "Definitely later."

 

* * *

 

 

**5.**

"Where did you get that?" Serena jumps, Bernie's voice coming from right by her ear.

"Seriously, I'm getting you a bell."

Bernie rolls her eyes, pointing at the glass in Serena's hand. "Where'd you get it?"

"Raf. He was getting a round in and since my last one went walkabouts again, I didn't see the harm."

"No, well..." Raising an eyebrow,  Serena watches the nervous twitching of Bernie's hands by her thighs.  "I was getting you one."

Looking pointedly at the lack of drinks, Serena shrugs. "But you didn't."

Turning back to Sacha and Essie, she moves to put her glass down on the side, only to have it intercepted enroute.

"I'll hold that for you."

"What has got into you tonight?" Serena turns around to face Bernie again. "That's the third glass you've taken off me. Is this one going to mysteriously disappear as well?"

Bernie looks away, biting her lip and Serena frowns; now that's a guilty look if ever she's seen one.

Taking Bernie's free hand, she tugs her over to an empty corner. Somewhere along the way, she notices that Bernie loses the glass of wine.  Again. 

Dropping her hand she crosses her arms over her chest and raises an eyebrow. "Alright, what is going on?"

Bernie looks surprised, or at least tries to, eyes bouncing around wildly. "What? Uh, nothing. I don't uh-"

"Bernie." Leaning forward, Serena narrows her eyes. "If this is about my drinking..." She trails off, unable to finish.

Bernie looks genuinely shocked, her hands reaching out to grasp at Serena's wrists. "No! No, of course not."

Wrists still clasped in Bernie's fingers, Serena makes an attempt to throw her arms up. "Then why on earth do you keep stealing my glass? I haven't had more than about five sips all night!"

Bernie's thumbs start rubbing little circles against her skin and Serena wants to be mad because Bernie knows how well that works to calm her down, but instead she's too confused to worry much about the manipulation. "We have reservations for dinner." Bernie says eventually.

Serena nods, "I know." She glances down at herself and then across at Bernie. "Why else would we be dolled up at Albie's?"

Bernie huffs a laugh and Serena can't help but smile. She loves that laugh.

"Still doesn't explain the mysterious disappearing wine though." Bernie winces and Serena watches as she takes a deep breath before meeting Serena's eyes.

"I know we're both pretending we don't know what today is, I know six months is a silly thing to celebrate but...there's...I spoke to Jason."

Serena blinks at the abrupt change in topic. "Jason?"

"Yes, well, I knew you wouldn't decide anything without talking to him and you should! If you want to, if it's- Anyway, I wanted to see if he thought it was a good idea before I spoke to you, because there was no point if it's a non-starter. And then I thought tonight might be a good time, because okay, six months isn't much but...but I think we can both agree the length of time doesn't matter, can't we?"

"I- well, of course not." Because it didn't. Serena knows she isn't one for a brief fling, but even if she were, with Bernie it's...it's different. To anything she's had with someone before. So no, the amount of time since their first kiss means nothing really, when Serena knew before it that she was hopelessly gone for her macho ex-army medic.

She still has no idea what Bernie's going on about though.

"Right exactly." Bernie nods and stops talking and Serena suddenly finds it hard not to laugh and pull her into a good snog, right there.

"So," she says instead, "my drinks?"

"Oh! Right. Well, I wanted to make sure you were completely sober, didn't want to ask you to live together when it might be the wine answering." She shrugs, tucking hair behind her ears.

For half a second Serena wonders if she might have blacked out during part of their conversation, but then she remembers it's Bernie and of course she'd miss out a big chunk of information.

"Live together?"

"Yes."

"That's what you were talking to Jason about?"

"Yes."

"Right. Well, uh. Okay then." Serena nods, biting her lip to keep her smile from growing too big. No need to draw anymore attention to themselves.

"Okay?"

"Yes.  I mean, we'll have to talk logistics of course, and I would like to talk to Jason myself before..." She trails off as Bernie drops her wrists, clasping at her face instead, thumbs pressed into her cheeks as she kisses her.

When they pull apart again, Serena licks her lips, tasting whisky. The alcohol embargo was just for her then.

"Can I have a drink now?"

Bernie laughs, head thrown back and Serena loves it, loves her.

Their fingers tangle together and Bernie leads them towards the bar.

"Glass of Shiraz please."

"Small." Serena cuts in, before Bernie can order her usual large. She meets Bernie's raised eyebrow with a shrug.

She figures she has other reasons to stay sober tonight, with Jason out of the house and all.

They do still need to get through dinner, after all.

_**End.** _

 


End file.
